Their take: Known for its history and famous root beer, it's no wonder Schilo's puts heavy emphasis on the root beer part of its float. The secret recipe was created by Fritz Schilo during Prohibition as a way for German customers, who had a habit of sitting around with a mug of beer, to continue to enjoy mugged beverages without alcohol.

Their take: The Cove seems to capture the Lone Star state in a dessert with its Texas Root Beer Float, $5. Made with Saint Arnold's root beer from Houston and Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, the ingredients are all from Texas, giving the float its name.

Since its creation in the late 19th century, the root beer float has been an American favorite.

Cold, sweet and simple, this tasty treat was invented by Frank Wisner of Cripple Creek, Colo., in 1893. He reportedly came up with the combination after looking at the snow covering the top of nearby Cow Mountain, deciding to mirror the image by adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream to his root beer.

Thus, the root beer float was born.

Often called a Black or Brown Cow — though in different parts of the country, the meaning of those names can vary — this delicious combination is perfect for hot summer days and afternoon indulgences. It can be made in different ways, too, with a variety of root beers and ice creams now used in the mix. Many restaurants have their own way of serving root beer floats, some sticking to classic ingredients with others making the dessert all their own.

The following are seven local places to get your root beer floats, each presenting its own take on the cool treat.

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Their take: For Charlie Wants a Burger, ice cream is the key to a good root beer float.

Its Brown Cow, $4.95, features New Braunfels-made Uncle Charlie's vanilla ice cream as well as Mug Root Beer. The ice cream gives the Brown Cow a “traditional” and “nostalgic taste,” said Charlie's Toby Fox.

Substitute Uncle Charlie's chocolate, strawberry or chocolate chip ice cream for different and unique blends, or order Uncle Charlie's Eight Gauge Shotgun ice cream made with Jack Daniel's whiskey for an adult twist. The floats are served with whipped cream and topped with a cherry.

“What makes our floats different is the ice cream,” said Johnny Degliesposti, general manager. “It's handmade. That's the secret to a great root beer float, in my opinion.”

Historic flavors

The place: Schilo's Delicatessen, 424 E. Commerce St.

Their take: Known for its history and famous root beer, it's no wonder Schilo's puts heavy emphasis on the root beer part of its float. The secret recipe was created by Fritz Schilo during Prohibition as a way for German customers, who had a habit of sitting around with a mug of beer, to continue to enjoy mugged beverages without alcohol. The root beer, recognized by Texas Monthly and manufactured at the local Son Beverage Co., includes egg whites for more body and head, as well as more of the “good” ingredients that go into root beer, according to co-owner Bill Lyons.

“For us, the homemade recipe for the root beer makes the float,” he said. “Blue Bell ice cream offers a nice balance so that you can enjoy the full flavor of the root beer.”

Customers can enjoy the legacy of Schilo with the root beer float for $3.

Their take: The Cove seems to capture the Lone Star state in a dessert with its Texas Root Beer Float, $5. Made with Saint Arnold's root beer from Houston and Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, the ingredients are all from Texas, giving the float its name. Lisa Asvestas, the owner, said she believes the ice cream and root beer are equal in importance, but that the draft root beer definitely adds to the taste, giving the float a “fresh” and “old-timey” flavor.

“The root beer float is very popular, especially with kids,” she said. “We had one kid who had just won a spelling bee come in recently and order a float at the bar while his parents had a few beers. It was his first float and he tasted it and said 'Winning tastes like root beer floats.' We all got a good laugh at that.”

Classic tastes

The place: Cotten's Barbecue, 226 W. Bitters Road

Their take: Want an old-fashioned taste? Try the root beer float at the newly opened Cotten's Barbecue, made with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream and A&W root beer, a classic mix that adds the perfect touch to a barbecue-filled meal. Kenny Cotten, the owner, said he believes the combination compliments each other well in this drink, a popular item that can be ordered for $3.95.

General manager Armando Padilla said the Blue Bell vanilla ice cream is the key component in the tasty concoction, and that the float was a favorite at the original Cotten's Barbecue in Robstown.

“It's a really popular dessert with barbecue,” Padilla said. “People just love them.”

Their take: For the root beer float at Oscar's Taco House, it's not the root beer or the ice cream that's most important, but a more specific ingredient: French vanilla.

“The French vanilla flavoring in the ice cream is what sets our float apart,” said Danny Romo, general manager. “Not just regular vanilla, but French vanilla.”

Romo said the Dreyer's French vanilla ice cream used in the float enriches the taste, making the float sweeter with an extra kick in the French vanilla. The float also features A&W root beer, resulting in a “classic and refreshing combination,” according to assistant manager Claudia Garza.

Romo said the root beer float, $2.49, is a popular item, and makes for the perfect ending to a meal at Oscar's.

Made from scratch

The place: The Granary 'Cue & Brew, 602 Ave. A

Their take: If you want a root beer float made completely from scratch, The Granary 'Cue & Brew is the place for you.

Its root beer blend is made in-house, giving the drink a unique Granary taste, according to co-owner Tim Rattray.

“We go a little more traditional with our root beer,” he said. “While many root beers nowadays have vanilla nutmeg flavors and more wintergreen, we use more traditional root flavors.”

The buttermilk ice cream is homemade, too, and is prepared fresh daily. Rattray said the buttermilk has a “tangy” flavor, working well with the root beer and balancing out the float. He said the two homemade elements make the perfect combination for the Granary's root beer float, $7.

“I think that both parts have to be delicious to make a good float,” he said.

The Secret's in the custard

The place: Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, various area locations

Their take: While ice cream may be a traditional ingredient in a root beer float, Freddy's uses vanilla custard instead, adding a yummy twist to this frosty dessert.

The house-made custard uses minimal water and more egg in its composition for a creamier taste and thicker consistency, said director of communications Sara Selmon.

"Custard makes everything better," she said. "It's a richer, creamier product than ice cream" and pairs well with the Mug Root Beer Freddy's uses in its float, $3.19-$4.59.

Selmon said the treat is a summertime favorite, and was officially put on the menu because of its popularity and the encouragement of customers.